Collapsible box



Feb. 14, 1928. "1,658,954

' A.- J. VANCE coLLAPsIBLE Box Patented eb. 14,Y 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE,

ALBERTJ: VANCE; or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS'.

COLLAIPSKIBLE BOX.

kAppncfrima mea Aprn 24, 1926. serial no. 104,277'.`

This invention relatesl in generall to receptacles, more particularly to paper receptacles, and in the present instance specifically to animproved collapsible box, made of fibreV board, card board or other suitable material which will Lfacilitate its use as a shipping and storing'v case. Y

l This invention -inds special utility as a shipping' case for clothing andthe 'like and,

in general, is found; useful in mailing; articles of various kinds wherein it is not Y practicable to sh'ipthe articles in a sealed contemer',- such, for instance",Y in connection with theparcel post laws-which orbid the sealing of certain packages the presen-t invention affordingY a box` which maybe eiiectively closed` against opening without breaking Vthe box or a seal, Where the same is scaled, and

wherein the box, 4if shipped unsealed, may be readily'opened for inspection by the vpostal authorities. v y

The principal objects and advantages of the present invention reside in theprovision of' an` improved collapsible shipping receptacle; the provision kof an improved' collapsible shipping receptacle" formed of a single blank oi" material ;-the' provision of an improved material such aslbre board orthe like; the provisionffo an improved lcollapsibleY Vre'- ceptaclelwhichis of suchnature as to'reducefA the cost? of manniaetu'rev of? suchrecepta'cle to a material degree resulting in' a saving of' material 'both of the stock itself,` the labor involved uconstructno and assembling the b o'x and a savingofotfer material such as stitching andthe like.

This' invention is further Vcharac'terized by ythe provision ofyan improved-corner andside and endwalls which'serves a dual puroseof retainingcertai'n elements ofr4 the box in predetermined relationship and for actingon certain otherv elementsfoffthe box to bring them into a predetermined rela-- tio-nship to provision of a` box/ofthe character de,- scribed' which may bes'hi'p'p'ed to the purl chaser in substantially flat form so astosave spacey inl shipping largef-quantitiesf; the `pro-l vision of 'a box of the character described which is complete both as to the body and to the cover in one piecev and completely assembled for use byi the purchaser; the provision of a' box of' the character described in which the members are allpreferably shipping-receptacle 'formed of a single blank' o-f'readily scoredV and folded facilitate closing ofthe box; thel connected together so that no assembly ot `the parts oit the box f by" the purchaser is necessary when it is desired to use the same .and'so that such parts will not become detached, thus vpermitting the box tok be used a number of times if desired.

The foregoingand such other objects and advantages as may appear or bek pointedk out asthis description proceeds, are attained the box ,is assembled-and setl up so t atthe sections form, respectively7 af bottom' and a closing top.

Referring 4more particularly to the drawings, and ir'stto Figure 1, for certainlpur` poses Iprovide a blank of material such? as:

fibre board, card board or the 4like or asuit'as ble desired gauge* this blank of material beinggenerally-:designated `10. The blankl 10 is suitably scored?v along the" lines 1:1,`y 12,

13 and 14' to provide a main portion- 16 which,y for convenience,- will be termed the bottom ofy the box,A the scorings 11, 12and 13 being disposed from the? adjacentedges* of the blank a sufficient distance to afford an outersidewall 17 and opposite end walls 18and`19.-

Adjacent tothe bottom lbut, of course,

in spaced relation thereto,` the blank 10 is further scored along thelines 1121122 13 and 14 to provide the substantially lrectangular top portion 20. The scorings 11%' 12a,

13@ and 14 are spaced suflicient distances' from,the adjacent edges'` of the blank to affordian outer sidewall 21 andfopposite endV walls 22 and-23y which latter are" sub'- stantially complemental to the outer side,

wall 17 and end walls 18 and 19 respectively.

f The lines ofscoringsllv and 14""arefspaced` a 'suiiici'ent distance; preferably according to the side walls 17 and 21`,` to allord afcom-vv mon side wall 24' for" the* two sections'of the box,- this side wall likewise' formi-ng a i Ue hinge. In order to bring the walls 17 and 18 and 17 and 19 into perpendicular relation and to secure them so as to cause the end walls to be moved into perpendicular relation with the bottom 16, notches and 2G are cut in the blank 10, thus affording diagonally cut tongues 27 and 28 which, by means of the scorings 29 and 30, respectively, are bent to lie along the end walls 18 and 19 as best shown in Figure 2. vWhen this is done, suitable stitches 31, 31 are passed through the diagonally cut members 27 and 28 and their respective end walls for iixedly attaching the walls18 and 19 to the outer side wall 17. In order that the walls 17, 18 and 19 may lie flat on the bottom 1G when packing the receptacles for shipment to a purchaser, the end walls are scored diagonally asat 32 and 33 in such manner as to permit the outer side wall and end walls to olddown upon the bottom 16 or, if desired, to allow the end walls 18 and 19 to lie outwardly and the wall 17 inwardly. In either event, depending on how the walls 18 and 19 are scored, it will be obvious that by swinging up both ot the end walls 18 and 1.9, the side wall 17 will also be caused to swing upinto perpendicular relationship With the walls 18 and 19 and with said base 16.

The top or closure section of the box is constructed at its outer Vcorners substantially identically with the bottom of the box as shown in Figure 1, and a detailed description need not be included here. Ity is suiii cient to point out that corresponding notches position, and, as well, to bring the walls 22 and 23 into predetermined relation to the top section 20, the blank is provided with f., notches 35 and 36 of such nature as to form termini for the inner ends of the end walls 18y and 19 indicated as at 37 and 38. The notches 35 may be merely slits from the outer edge ot the blank and terminating at the scorings 11 and 11a and 13 and 13"1 but tor convenience in assembling the box itl will be observed that the notches 35 and 36 are shaped to provide connecting portions 39 and 40 with the outer edges thereof slightly inclined so ,that when thesev portions 39 and 40 are folded in assembling orv setting up, the free edges thereof will not abut the bottom 16 and interterewith proper assembly. The portions 39 and 40 are diagonally scored, as lindicated at 41, 41, and further scored asindicated at 42, 42 and 43, 43, so that substantially rectangular scored connecting portions are aorded at this point. It will also be observed from an `inspection of Figure 2 that the members 39 and 40 thus, when t'olded, torni gusset-s. When the outer side and end walls of each of the sections are respectively joined, I prefer to connect the inner halves of the connecting members 39 and 40 to the common side wall 24 by the provision ot' stitching 44, 44, as shown in Figure 2, though I have found that this is not absoiutely necessary to the proper functioning ot the connecting members. It is preferable as it keeps the inner portion ot' each of the connecting members fiat against the common side wall and thus prevents them projecting into the box and interfering with the contents.

The connection of the inner portions of the connecting members 39 andV 49 to the common side wall also causes the end walls to be elevated into perpendicular relation with the top 2() when the box is set up and in addition serves to form recesses, as shown in Figure 2,`or receiving and retaining the ends 45, 45 and reinforcing strip 4G. It .this strip is made of a relatively heavy gauge, no gluingwill be found necessary, the. strip merely .being retained by the connecting members 39 and 40. In lighter stock it may be desirable to paste the strip 4G only at its medial portion to the common side wall, as indicated at 47 which will, of

course, effectively prevent displacement ot the reinforcing strip.

Y From the foregoing it will be observed that the box, when the end and side walls'of each sec-tion are suitably connected, may be shipped fiat with the Walls folded down and when the purchaser desires to use the box, these walls are set up,the box then iilled, and the two sections brought into interfitting relationshipas shown in Figures 2. and 3. It will he observed that the end walls 22 and 23 embrace the end walls 18 and 19 and that these end walls are thus reinforced and prevented against displacement outwardly when the box is closed. The inner edges 37 and 38 of the walls 18 and 19 engage in the corners formed by the end walls 22 and 23 and their respective connecting members 39 and 40, the contents of the box preventing inward displacement of the end Walls 18 and 19 and thereby rendering it diflicult, Without tearing the box, to reach into the box and remove its contents. The members 39 and 40 function themselves as gussets as do the members 27 and 27 a and 28 and 28a. In constructing the box of my invention, the portions 39 and 40, as will best be seen in Figure 2, project into 'the box. In the box actually constructed, there Y is a double thickness, therefore, between the rear wall, that is, the common hinge wall 24, and the inner edge of the end wall 18, so that when the box is completely full and closed, the abutment of the gusset members 39 against the inner edge of the wall 18 cooperating with the contents of. the

box prevent the wall 18 being forced inlll() wardly without being torn if an attempt. is made to reach into the box and remove its contents. It will be obvious that the box is tied or otherwise held closed in shipment, and an attempt to reach up Vunderthe end 22 and remove the contents would result either in tearingthe wall 22 away from the gusset 39 or in mutilating the wall 18.

In the actual manufacture of the box of the present invention, I find that in a standard box commonly employed in the market, on lots of 50,000, a material saving of material is effected, and in some instances the saving in material is equivalent, in round figures, to approximatelyeLOO complete boxes and that less creasing and eut rule and wood stock is necessary in the die-work. In some instances as much as 100l pounds of flat wire for stapling may be saved. These figures are based on material required in similar boxes now on the market.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent is:

l. A receptacle including a pair of sections having complemental outer side and end walls, a portion between the sections forming a common side wall therefor, means for con-y necting the. end walls of one of thersections to said common side wall including diagonally folded flaps, said connecting means lying adjacent to saidk common side wall and forming a retaining'abutment engaging the end walls of the opposite section and pre,-

venting their inward movement, means fory xedly securing one of the portions yof each of said flaps to said common side wall to cause said flaps vtomove inwardly ofthe receptacle when the sections' thereof are brought together, and a reinforcing member lying against said common side wall and having notched ends forming reduced tongues extending beneath and being retained by the iixedly secured portions of said Haps.

2. A collapsible box section including a main wall, walls angularly related thereto f and forming the sides and ends of the sece tion, adjacent side and end walls being connected by diagonally'folded connecting gussets having oney each of their portions thus VIn testimony whereof I have hereuntosigned my name.

' e ALBERT J. VANCE. 

